Wingstop Player of the Week: Basic defender ‘can do it all’

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Friday, Oct. 9, 2015 | 2 a.m.

Tayj’ean Thomas didn’t realize he was having one of the best football games of his life. He was more focused on helping his team win.

The Basic High senior linebacker filled the stat sheet last week against Silverado, recording 12 tackles, two interceptions, two sacks and a fumble recovery in a 35-21 victory.

He’s our Wingstop Player of the Week, making tackle after tackle to give Basic a 4-1 record to open the season.

“Right place, right time,” Thomas said.

Talk with Basic coach Jeff Cahill, though, and he’ll confirm Thomas’ great performances are more than being situated in the correct spot on the field. Thomas is starting to see the rewards for his maximum effort.

“He is really an energy guy. He is all over the place,” Cahill told the Sun after the Silverado victory. “We blitz him all of the time, and he’s great in coverage, so he can do it all.”

Instead of talking about himself, Thomas is more versed on listing the contributions of his teammates. About 20 from his graduating class of 2016 have been teammates since freshman football — some since youth football — and they’ve long envisioned reaching the state championship game as seniors. Last season, they advanced to the Sunrise Region championship game.

“We’ve talked four years about how this is the season we are going to state,” Thomas said.

That challenge begins today in the Henderson Bowl rivalry game against Green Valley. The game is also the Southeast League opener, adding extra significance to a night that already includes high emotions for players on both teams.

“Everyone knows, we don’t like them and they don’t like us,” Thomas said. “It’s always been that way.”

Wingstop provides the player of the week a $50 gift card, shirt and medal.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21